Europe
As Trump squeezes, can de Villepin give new backbone to France?
For the former foreign minister, Emmanuel Macron’s equivocation on Iran is a retreat from the Gaullist tradition of French strategic autonomy
March 17, 2026
For the former foreign minister, Emmanuel Macron’s equivocation on Iran is a retreat from the Gaullist tradition of French strategic autonomy
NATO will still be under the US umbrella, but faith in Washington appears to be wobbling
The prime minister called Trump's war illegal and is not being bullied into joining operations or making equivocal statements of support
There is no reason why they cannot turn the president into an asset without embarrassing themselves
The goal appears not to be a better peace, but to hollow out the American proposal until it becomes unacceptable to Moscow
Driven by war fatigue and economic strain, voters are punishing governments they view as prioritizing far away causes
